I have had 5 children naturally with no pain meds at all. Weights were 7.4, 9.4, 7.10, 7.5 & 9.1. I never felt the tearing and I tore and had stitches with each one. The worst part was probably the stitches, but to be honest its over so fast. Ith my last (Jan 2012) I was up and around less than an hour after I gave birth.